Automatic feed for cable tool drill



March 4, 1952 MEIER 2,587,638

AUTOMATIC FEED FOR CABLE TOOL' DRILL Filed Sept. 27, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet1 Q I W l fly 4- F Mam M M 4 INVENTOR.

ATI'OKNEF March 4, 1952 MEIER 2,587,638

AUTOMATIC FEED FOR CABLE TOOL DRILL Filed Sept. 27, 1 945 5 Sheets-Sheet2 '5 MIWHFunnunnnmquulmmmm 3 a 33 iiillmnnnmmnumlmmulum'mk i 54 I G O J869 ums /(a e/r INVENTOR.

March 4, 1952 J. H. MEIER ,6

AUTOMATIC FEED FOR CABLE TOOL DRILL Filed Sept. 27, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet3 855W Zane 61km INVENTOR. -BY fi w I 7 Anon/m.

Patented.Mar. 4, 1952 AUTOMATIC FEED FOR CABLE TOOL DRILL Johann H.Meier, South Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Bucyrus-Erie Company, SouthMilwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application September 27,1945, Serial No. 618,843

1 My invention relates to new and useful improvements in automatic feedsfor cable-tool drills.

. Such drills, per se, are well known.

In such drills a rope passes, from a winch drum the rope are sometimesemployed.

As the hole grows deeper, it is necessary that the winch .drum shallunwind to pay out more rope. In the past, this paying-out has beeneffected in one of the following three ways: (1) Time control, in whichthe winch steadily or intermittently unwinds with the mere elapse oftime. (2) Non-automatic, the operator voluntarily running the winchwhenever more rope was needed. (3) Shock control, a brake being set onthe winch to yield at a certain predetermined torque, so that the shockof the tools falling and not striking bottom would jerk out a triflemore of rope.

Method 1 was wholly unsatisfactory, except in very uniform steadydrilling. Method 2 required too much careful attention by the operator.Method 3 required too precise an adjustment of the brake, the properadjustment depending too much on various variable conditions, such asatmosphere, lubrication, etc., and furthermore requires that thatprecise adjustment be exactly maintained.

Accordingly it is the principal object of my invention to devise a feedwhich shall pay out additional rope, when and as needed, without beingopen to any of the above objections.

My invention involves a wholly new principle, which I call depthcontrol. This new principle somewhat resembles the shock controlmentioned above, in that the paying-out of rope, is effected by thetension of the rope, but in my invention it is effected indirectlythrough compression of the resilient support, rather than directly byjerking on the winch. In my invention, the

' winch is softly, smoothly and positively unwound, whenever this isnecessary, rather than yankedaround against the resistance of apartially-set brake. Under the shock control of the prior art, the winchdid not pay out as often 12 Claims. (Cl. 255-15) at is ought, in orderto maintain substantially uniform percussion; and each time that it didpay out, it would pay out too much, and an unpredetermined amount.

It is to be noted that, in different types of resilient support, thecontrol may be effected by tension and/onpure travel of the rope. Inaddition to my principal object, above stated, I have worked out anumber of novel and useful details, which will be readily evident as thedescription progresses.

My invention consists in the novel parts and in the combination andarrangement thereof, which are defined in the appended claims, and ofwhich one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, whichare hereinafter particularly described and explained.

Throughout the description, the same reference number is applied to thesame member or to similar members.

' Figure 1 is a side elevation of a drill embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan View, partly in section, of the mainmachinery of my drill.

Figure 3 is an enlarged side elevation of said machinery, takenalong theline 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the mast head of my drill,showing the travel-responsive contactor of my invention.

Figure 5 is an electric wiring diagram of my invention, with certain ofthe associated mechanical parts shown conventionally, in order that thisone figure shall show all the elements of the complete invention asclaimed.

Figure 6 shows the details of that part of my invention whereby, aftereach initial impulse, further paying out of cable is stopped after acertain amount of cable has been payed out.

Turning now to Figures 1 to 3, we see that H is the main frame of adrill, supported by creeping traction l2. The frame ll supports a mastit (called derrick in the art), a motor IS, a winch IS, a drive shaft61, a spudding pinion 68, a spudding gear l1, and associated drivingconnections, not numbered.

From the winch l6, a rope It runs around a heel sheave l9, thence undera spudding-sheave 2U, thence over a sheave 2i at the top of the derrickl4, thence down to the tools 25.

The spudding pinion 68, which drives the spudding gear I1, is clutchedto and unclutched from .drive shaft 61 by means of a clutch TI. Thisclutch may be of any convenient sort, adapted to perform its recitedfunction, and may be actuated 3 at will in any convenient manner, all ofwhich is well known in the art, and need not be detailed here, inasmuchas the control of the spudding means has nothing to do with the winchand hence constitutes no part of the present invention.

There is also a spudding-beam 22, which in turn is pivoted on horizontalpivots 23 on the frame II.

The spudding-beam 22 is rocked up and down by the rotation of thespudding gear ll, acting through pitman 24. The foregoing detaileddescription of my spudding means has been given for clearness ofunderstanding only, and no unnecessary limitation should be understoodtherefrom.

The winch I6 is controlled by means which.

will hereinafter be described."

The operation of all these conventional parts will be readilyunderstood.

Turning now to Figure 4, we see that head sheave 2 I, at the top of thederrick l4, is mounted in a housing 26, which is arranged in anyconvenient mannerto slide up and down with respect to the derrick Hi.This housing 26 rests upon a pile 21 of alternatesteel and rubber discs,which thus furnish a resilient support, for the head sheave 2|. See U.S. Patent No. 1,750,826, granted March 18, 1930, to George R. Watson.Any alternative form of support would be satisfactory for the purposesof my present invention, provided it compresses with each stroke, andthen expands again. sheave l, housing 25, and pile 21, are thus seencollectively to constitute a yieldable member, supporting line I8.

The derrick l4 carries a normally open contactor 28, which is aWell-known commercial article, and hence will not be shown in detail.The housing 26 carries a cooperating actuator 3i, the positionof whichis adjustable by setscrew 33, or in any other convenient manner. Thisactuator 3| is to be so adjusted that it will actuate the button 29 ofthe contactor 28, whenever the dropping of tools 25 compresses resilientsupport 21 to a predetermined extent, i. e., more than the optimum forpercussion drilling. This is apt to occur whenever, due to the drilling,the bottom of the hole recedes sufficiently so that the bit no longermakes proper impact against the bottom of the hole.

Any travel of the bit which compresses the resilient support to thepredetermined extent above mentioned, will (for want of a better term)be called excessive, regardless whether it be thought that this degreeof compressing is due to the mere distance of travel of the bit, or isdue to the increased tension in the rope.

Let us now consider the succession of instrumentalities which areactuated by the brief closing of contactor 28; and how when thoseinstrumentalities have operated to pay out a predetermined quantity ofrope, their actuation is automatically caused to cease.

Turning to Figures 2 and 3, we see main frame ll, motor l5, winch-drumi6, spudding gear ll, rope I8, heel sheave l9, spudding sheave 20,spudding beam 22 pivoted at 23, and pitman 24, all as already describedhereinabove.

Sun-gear 32 is keyed to shaft 33. Internal ring-gear 34 floats on saidshaft 33. Planet gears 5 are carried by winch-drum l6, which in turnfloats on said shaft 33.

Winch-drum l6 can be rotated in either of the following two manners.

First, drum 16 can be rotated continuously to wind up or pay out ropei8, by means of holding ring-gear 34 (in a manner as described inthenext paragraph) and rotating sun-gear 32 in one direction or the otherby main motor l5, acting through intermediate gearing which need not bedetailed, except to state that gear 32 can be clutched to shaft 33 byclutch 63. When shaft 33 is not thus being rotated, it can (and normallywould) be braked by brake 64.

Secondly, drum [6 can be rotated intermittently to pay out rope l8, bymeans of holding sun-gear 32 (in the manner as described above) andrunning small motor 36 which operates through intermediate gearing torotate worm 31, and hence worm gear 38, which is integral with internalring-gear '34. Integral gears 34 and 38 are journaled for free rotationabout shaft 33. The rotation of ring-gear 34 is normally braked by brake39. This brake is highly advisable, not only because, in a machine sosubjected to jarring as a drill, even a self-locking worm is almostcertain to slip, but also so as to prevent the motor 36 from overrunningand thus destroying the fine predetermination of the amount of 'eachpay-out.

Due to the fact that drum Hi can be selectively driven by driving eithersun-gear 32 or ring-gear 34, the other being held, the combination 'ofthese two gears with planet-gears 35 (which are journaled on pins 69,projecting from the end of drum IE) will readily be seen to constitute adifferential gearing. Inasmuch as it is not essential that thisparticular 'sort of differential gearing be employed, the foregoingdetailed description of my differential gearing has been given forclearness of understanding only, and

no unnecessary limitation should be understood therefrom.

Let us turn now to Figure the essence of my invention. Here we findwinch-drum I6, small motor 36, and brake 39, conventionalized andsymbolically represented. All other elements in this figure are likewiseconventionalized and symbolically represented, inasmuch as all exceptone of them are well-known commercial articles, and the one exception(comprising elements 46, '52, 57, 58, and 10, in Figure 5) iscollectively designated as 41 in Figure 6, where it is considerablydetailed.

To facilitate an understanding of Figure 5, the elements there shownwill be enumerated as'the operation is described. I Wires 40 lead to asource of power, 4| being the main switch of the system which is aboutto be described. It is advisable that switch 4| be attached to the mainswitch employed for drilling or to the control-lever of thespudding-gear clutch, so that this feeding system will be shut oifwhenever the drill is not running.

The closing of normally open contactor 28 by actuator 3! (both of whichhave already been described in connection with Figure 4) energizesmagnet 42 during the brief time that contactor 28 is held closed, thusclosing normally open switch 43 for the same brief period.

This brief closing of switch 43 energizes magnet 44, thus closingnormally open switch 45. Once this switch 45 has been closed, thecurrent which passes through it, passes through normally closedcontactor switch 45, and thence through magnet 4-4, thus holding switch45 closed.

Magnet 42 and its switch 43 might well be omitted, and the current fromcontactor 28 be led direct to magnet 44; but I consider the inter- 5,which illustrates position of magnet 42 and switch 43 (togetherconstitutinga fast-closing slow-release relay) to be advisable, due tothe fact that the brief impulse given by contactor 28 might not be ofsuflicient duration to close switch 45. This brief impulse may be asshort as A of a second, whereas some 1% of a second (afforded by therelay) is necessary to be certain to close switch-45, which is to beequipped with heavy-duty power contactors.

65 is a duration-of-current responsive safety cut-out which will behereinafter described.

The current passing through switch 45 also branches, bypassing contactor46, to perform the following three functions: First, it rotates motor36. Secondly, it actuates solenoid 12, thus releasing normally set brake39, thus permitting motor 36 to rotate winch-drum l6. And, thirdly,

it sets a clutch to be hereinafter mentioned, thus starting theoperation of the apparatus which will now be described, which apparatus,as already stated, is collectively designated as 41.

Turning to Figure 6, we see that 48 are magnets energized by the currentjust mentioned. Pinion 49 is rotated by shaft 50, driven by motor 36 ofFigure 5. Pinion 49 rotates gear which is freely rotatable and slidableon shaft 52. Integral with gear 5| is the female member 53 of acone-clutch, the male member 54 of which is rigidly attached to shaft52. The energizing of magnets 48 attracts gear 5|, thus settingconeclutch 5354, and thus causing shaft 52 to rotate.

Thi entire magnetic clutch mechanism (comprising elements 48, 49, 5|,53, and 54, and parts of shafts 56, and 52) is symbolically representedin Figure 5 by a square, numbered collectively 16. The two wires shownin Figure 5 as leading to this symbolic square, are the same as the twowires shown in Figure 6 as leading to magnets 48.

Shaft 52 carries cam 51. When this cam has rotated from its initialsetting the predetermined distance to nearly its major radius, this camtouches the control-arm 58 of normally closed contactor 46 (alreadymentioned in connection with Figure 5), thus opening this switch. Thisopening deenergizes magnet 64, thus permitting switch to open, thusstopping motor 36, permitting brake 39 to set, and deenergizing magnets46 of clutch 41. tates shaft 52 and cam 57 back to their initial angularposition. It is to be noted that contactor 46 remains open until thischain of events, which its opening has initiated, begins thecounterrotation of cam 51'. Accordingly, by the time that contactor 46has thus closed again, the circuit through it is open at switch 45.

The operator, by selectively setting hand wheel 55 and locking the wheelin position by tightening set screw '56, determines the position of thestop 5|] which is carried by hand wheel 55. The position of the stopdetermines the are through which shaft 52 and cam 57 are to rotateduring each feeding operation, for at the cessation of each feedingoperation, shaft 52 and cam 51 are returned by spring 59 whichcounter-rotates the elements until finger 6| carried by the shaft 52rests against the stop 66. The elements then occupy their originalrelative position.

The whole system has now reverted to status quo, and is ready to startthe whole feeding operation over again when the next momentary impulseis received from contactor 28.

But, during this feeding operation, motor 36 (see now Figures 2 and 3)has rotated winch Spring 56 thereupon counter-rodrum l6 slightly, to payout a small amount of rope l8.

Thus whenever, due to the increase in the depth of the hole which isbeing drilled, the resilient support 21 compresses more than normally,the resulting contact of element 3| with button 29 of contactor 28 atthe derrick head (see Figure 4) results in the paying out of apredetermined amount of rope, thus restoring the opportunity for optimumimpact between tools 25 and the bottom of the hole.

Sometimes when the drill is not drilling, and the tools have been raisedsomewhat, their mere weight on the rope might close switch 28 constantlyfor a considerable period. This would, of course, cause motor 36 tooperate intermittently to pay out line, until the tools become groundedat the bottom of the hole. But meanwhile the constant current throughcoil 42 might burn it out. So I provide means such as a heatresponsiveor time-responsive cut-out in the line between switch 28 and-coil 42. Acam-operated normally-closed switch, similar to switch 46, to be openedwhenever shaft 52 departs from its rest position, would be an acceptablealternative.

It is obvious that my invention, with merely minor modifications, couldbe used to wind-in the rope, rather than pay it out, when the machine isbeing used to exert an upward, rather than a downward, impact, as (forinstance) in pulling piles.

Having now described and illustrated one form of my invention, I wish itto be understood that my invention is not to be limited to the specificform or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

I claim:

1.- In an automatic feed for acable-tool drill, which drill include amain frame, a percussion bit, a line operatively supporting the bit, ayieldable member on the main frame supporting the line, a winch-drum onthe main frame operatively connected to the line whereby to wind up andpay out said line, and spudding means on the main frame operativelyconnected to the line whereby to actuate said line to raise and drop thebit; the combination, supportable on the main frame, of: a motor; such.driveconnection between the motor and the winch-drum as to cause themotor, whenever running, to drive the winch-drum slowly to pay out line;at least one power-source; a normally-open switch; electrically-actuablemeans for closing said switch; an operative connection between theyieldable memher and the normally-open switch, actuable by and duringthe yielding of said member beyond a predetermined amount to close saidswitch; a normally-closed switch; a shiftable member, operativelyassociated with the normally-closed switch in such manner as to opensaid normallyclosed switch as soon as said member has shifted apredetermined amount; an electrically actuable clutch to operativelyconnect the motor to the shiftable member, to shift said member; anelectric circuit from an electric power source through thenormally-closed switch and the normallyopen switch in series relation,to the electric closing means for said normally-open switch, wherebywhen this circuit has been closed by the closing of the normally-openedswitch, the electric closing means will maintain it closed until thenormally-closed switch opens; an electric circuit from an electricpower-sourcathrough the normally-open switch, to the motor; anelecfurther characterized by having, in the lastmentioned .circuit, :anelectric relay interposed between the contactor and the electric closingmeans for the normally-openswitch.

4. An automatic .feed according to claim "1, further characterized bythe fact that the operative connection between the yieldable member andthe normally-open switch comprises: an electrical contactor; acooperating contact carried by the yieldable member; .a heat-responsivesafety cut-out; and anelectric circuit from an electric power source,through the contactor and the cut-out in series relation, to theelectric closing means for the normally-open switch.

5. An automatic feed according .to claim 1,

further characterized by the fact that the operative connection betweenthe yieldable member and the normally-open switch comprises: anelectrical contactor; a cooperating contact carried by the yieldablemember; a duration-ofcurrent responsive safety cut-out; and an electriccircuit from an electric power source, through the contactor and thecut-out in series relation, to the electric closing means for thenormallyopen switch. I

6. An automatic feed according to claim 1; further characterized byhaving: a normally-set brake for the motor; electrically-actuable meansfor releasing said'brake; and an electric circuit from an electric powermeans, through the normally-open switch, to the releasing means.

7. An automatic feed according to claim 1,

further characterized by the fact that the shiftable member isrotatable; that the normallyclosed switch is a closed contactor; thatthere is a cooperating contact rotatably carried by the shiftablemember, to open said contactor by contact therewith; that there is anadjustable stop, and a contact for said top, one being carried by theshiftable member and the other being fixed with respect to the rotationof the shift-able member; and that the means to restore the shiftablemember to its original position is a spring so attached to the shiftablemember as to bias said member to reversely rotate until the stop and itscontact abut each other.

8. In the winch of a cable-tool drill, the combination of: a winch-drum;a planetary drive therefor, comprising planet gears and three coaxialrotating elements, namely, two non-planet gears and a spider on whichthe planet gears are journaled; a constant drive-connection between oneof the three coaxial rotating elements and the winch drum; means todrive a second one of said three elements at will; means alternativelyto brake said second element at will; an electric motor coupled to thethird one of said three elements to drive said third element slowly, andin the direction to cause the winch-drum to pay out; and control-meansfor the electric motor, said control-means comprising: a normally-:determined amount; clutch to operativelyconnect the motor to theshiftable member, to shift said member; anelecopen switch;electrically-actuable means :for

holding said switch closed; a normally-closed switch; anelectric circuitfromanqelectric powersource, through the normally-closed switch and thenormally-open switch in series relation, to

:the electrically-actuable means, .whereby when this ,circuithasbeenclosed by the closing of'the normally-open switch, thi.electrically-actuable means will maintain it closed until .thenormallyclosed switch opens; a shiftable member, operatively associatedwith the normally-closed switch in suchmanner as to open saidnormally-closed switch assoon as said member hasshifted ,a-preanelectrically-:actuable trio circuit from an electric power-source.through the normally-open switch, to the motor;

an electric circuit from an electric power-source,

through the normally-open-switch, to the clutch; and means to restorethe shiftable-memberto its original position whenever and as soon as theclutch is released.

able member on the mainframe supporting the line, a winch-drum on themain frame operatively connected to the line whereby to wind upand payout said line, and spudding means on the main frame operativelyconnected to the line whereby to actuate said line to raise and drop thebit; the combination, supportable on the main frame-oi: a driver todrive the winch-drum slowly to pay out line; a control operativelyconnecting the yieldable memberand the driver, and actuable by theyielding of the yieldable member beyond a predetermined amount to startthe driver; and a drive-limiting device, actuable by the driver havingdriven a predetermined amount, to stop the driving and to reset thecontrol into the .condition it was in before it was actuated by theyielding of the yieldable member.

10. An automatic feed according to claim .9,

further characterized by the fact that the drill includes amast; andthat the yieldable member comprises a sheave for the drill line, and a,resilient support for the sheave on the mast.

11. An instrumentality for maintaining a onceclosed electric motorcircuit until the motor has rotated a predetermined amount, and forthereupon resetting the entire instrumerrtality into a condition torepeat the cycle whenever and as soon as the circuit is again closed,which instrumentality comprises: the electric motor; a normally-openswitch; electrically aetuable means for holding said switch closed; anormally-closed switch; an electric circuit from an electricpowersource, through the norn1ally-closed switch and the normally-openswitch in series relation, to the electrically actuable means, wherebywhen this circuit has been closed by the closing of the normally-openswitch, this electrically-actuable means will maintain it closed untilthe normallyclosed switch opens; a shiftable member, operativelyassociated with the normally-closed switch in such manner as to opensaid normally-closed switch as soon as said member has shifted apredetermined amount; an electrioally-actuable clutch to operativelyconnect the motor to the shiftable member, to shift said member; anelectric circuit from an electric power-source,

through the normally-open switch, to the motor;

and means to restore the shiftable member to its original positionwhenever and as soon as the clutch is released. a

12. A winch according to claim 8, further characterized by having: anormally-set brake to brake the third coaxial rotating element;electrically-actuable means for unsetting this brake;

and an electric circuit from an electric powersource, through thenormally-open switch, to this electrically-actuable means, whereby, solong as m the normally-open switch is open, the brake will remain set,and whenet' 'er the normally-open switch is closed, the brake will beunset.

JOHANN HANS MEIER.

l0 REFERENCES one! following references are of record in the filot thispatent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1308,1222 Hild June 2, 1931$233,413 Mellon Mar. 5, 1935 $136,356 Hild Nov. 8, 1938 2,157,951Buschman May 9, 1939 2,252,741 Thornburg Aug. 19, 1941 King Jan. 5, 1943

